Powered parachute (PPC) aircraft are well known ultralight aircraft. A typical powered parachute aircraft comprises a rigid frame that carries a small engine and rearwardly facing propeller. A parachute is attached or connected to the frame by a plurality of riser lines. When the engine is in operation and the propeller is turning, the parachute inflates and forms a lift generating wing that supports the aircraft in flight.
To prepare such an aircraft for takeoff, the parachute needs to be stacked in folds with the parachute lying in a semi-circle on top of the ground behind the aircraft. All of the riser lines have to be taut and free of tangles without any sticks or debris being present in the riser lines or in the path immediately ahead of the parachute. If a twig or other obstruction were to tangle in the riser lines during takeoff, the takeoff would have to be aborted. It easily takes 30 minutes or so to properly arrange the parachute and riser lines behind the frame to prepare the aircraft for takeoff. This detracts from the enjoyment of using such an aircraft since the need to carefully prepare the parachute and riser lines prior to each takeoff is time consuming and onerous.
Some powered parachute aircraft have been designed with floats for taking off from a body of water. However, this usually requires a launch from the shoreline of the body of water since it is necessary to arrange the parachute and riser lines on a solid ground surface such as the beach. With the parachute laid out on the beach and the frame of the aircraft resting in the water, takeoff can then be attempted by powering away from the beach, thereby pulling the parachute up off the beach and inflating it. However, this restricts where a float supported aircraft can be launched and requires the presence of a relatively deserted section of shoreline.
Moreover, with prior art float supported aircraft of this type, if a takeoff run is aborted for some reason, or if a landing occurs in the middle of the body of water instead of landing near the shoreline and running the aircraft up onto the shoreline, the parachute collapses as the aircraft slows and can easily hit the water. If this occurs, the parachute quickly becomes waterlogged bringing the aircraft to a complete and abrupt stop. Before the aircraft can be flown again, the pilot has to get the parachute out of the water, return the aircraft to the beach, get the parachute dried and laid out behind the aircraft with all the riser lines taut and unentangled, etc., which takes considerable time. In addition, the act of hauling the parachute out of the water is very difficult and physically strenuous.
With known powered parachute aircraft in which the parachute has to be laid out behind the frame of the aircraft prior to takeoff, the parachute is also exposed to the prop blast as it lies on the ground and as it is pulled up behind the aircraft by forward motion of the aircraft. As a result, the pilot has to warm up the engine and perform all necessary preflight power checks prior to laying the parachute out on the ground or the prop blast will immediately disrupt the neat and precise arrangement of the parachute and the riser lines required for takeoff. However, many pilots instinctively perform engine run ups and the like immediately prior to taking off and consequently often disrupt the parachute and riser line placement. This then requires the pilot to shut the engine off and to take the time needed to straighten out the riser lines and parachute and rearrange them in back of the aircraft.
Thus, as a consequence, while known powered parachute aircraft are safe and relatively easy and fun to fly, the time and work required to arrange them for takeoff is a disadvantage and detracts from their enjoyment. Moreover, the need to properly arrange the parachute and lay out the riser lines on the ground limit how some types of these aircraft, e.g. an aircraft supported by floats for operation on water, can be launched. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a powered parachute aircraft that is easier to launch, taxi and land as well as being easier to prepare for takeoff.